how can i make a new wooden bowl look like an old ,

updated fri 4 feb 05

Larry Kruzan on wed 2 feb 05

My favorite trick is to bury it in the compose pile for a couple days.
Pull it out and wash it off, oil, etc. Purty!
Larry Kruzan
Lost Creek Pottery

On Feb 2, 2005, at 6:47 PM, wjskw@BELLSOUTH.NET wrote:

> Derek and all:
> If all you are trying for is to raise the grain of the wood, there's
> no need to resort to acids or other caustics. A simple bench
> grinder with a wire wheel mounted on it would do as well. Run the
> wrie wheel in the direction of the grain only, otherwise you will
> cause scratching to occur.
> Best,
> Wayne Seidl
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
> Tarrant, Derek
> Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 9:01 AM
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Subject: Re: how can I make a new wooden bowl look like an old ,
> worn wo oden bowl?
>
> "Any suggestions out there for how to make nice wooden bowl or
> platter look
> ancient and worn?"
>
>
> Dear Gail,
>
> Try: -
> 1. Sandblasting
> 2. Soak for a few days in caustic soda (lye) or boil it for
> faster
> results. This is likely to dissolve the adhesive on anything that
> was glued
> together though.
>
> Either method attacks the softer summer growth wood and accentuates
> the
> ridges of harder winter growth. Sandblasting allows for more
> control but
> caustic may add some black staining depending on the wood. Practice
> with
> some scraps of similar wood first.
>
> Derek in Weaverville, NC
>
> ____________________________________________________________________
> __________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your
> subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> _______________________________________________________________________
> _______
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>

Tarrant, Derek on wed 2 feb 05

worn wo oden bowl?

"Any suggestions out there for how to make nice wooden bowl or platter look
ancient and worn?"

Dear Gail,

Try: -
1. Sandblasting
2. Soak for a few days in caustic soda (lye) or boil it for faster
results. This is likely to dissolve the adhesive on anything that was glued
together though.

Either method attacks the softer summer growth wood and accentuates the
ridges of harder winter growth. Sandblasting allows for more control but
caustic may add some black staining depending on the wood. Practice with
some scraps of similar wood first.

Derek in Weaverville, NC

Kate Johnson on wed 2 feb 05

worn wooden bowl?

Hi Gail--

> Any suggestions out there for how to make nice wooden bowl or platter look
> ancient and worn? I have some small pit-fired veggies I want to display
> on an old wooden bowl or platter yet I don't want to spend the money on an
> antique. Resale businesses have very few to offer thus far.

Does it have a finish on it already, or is it unvarnished? Years ago I used
to antique things by a variety of methods. If it has a really shiny
varathane-type finish it will be harder, but if not, you can scrub it well
with coarse sandpaper or steel wool to give it more of a rough finish (that
will even help a varathane finish, but you'd be better off removing it.)

If you don't plan to use to bowl or platter with food but only as ambience,
you can use almost anything for antiquing. But first you want to rough it
up. Think about how it would have gotten natural wear, and where. The edges
would probably be irregularly worn, so you can take a file or the rough
sandpaper to it here and there. You can fake cracks by following the
natural grain line with a sharp tool, like a craft knife or box opener.
Many wooden antiques have worm holes--an old fashioned ice pick or small
finishing nail (or even a needle tool from your studio) can suggest the
occasional worm hole. Bunch 2-3 together here and there, don't make them
uniform over the surface. "Real" antiquers used to whack furniture here and
there with the shaft of a screwdriver or a length of chain to make wear
dents.

When you've got the surface sufficiently distressed, you can further antique
it with walnut stain, oil paints or even acrylics--wipe on, let it sink into
your wormholes, cracks, dents, etc., and wipe off, with an old rag, leaving
just a bit here and there. A really antique bowl might have gotten
stained--if you have bare wood to work with rather than varathane, wood
stain might sink in here and there in splotches. You can even spatter on
"flyspecks" from an old toothbrush or stenciling brush.

Let all that dry thoroughly and finish with a satin varnish or better yet a
nice turpentine and beeswax mix--or a good furniture polish, wax-based, not
liquid. If you plan to use it with food again, you might want to just stick
with wax, either with or without a varnish.

Cindy in SD on wed 2 feb 05

worn wooden bowl?

One way to give wood that sort of weathered barnwood look is to soak
steel wool in vinegar overnight and then use the resulting liquid for a
stain. I'm not sure if that's the color you're after. Also, of course
you'll want to beat it up a bit, in spots where it would have received
the most wear. You might try soaking it in dishwater overnight, then
letting it dry naturally. That's always hard on things. After
beating it up, you can also go over it with something dark--even black
dirt--and rub that into the boo-boo's, then wash it. If you want more of
a gracefully aged look, you might try waxing some of the more vulnerable
areas--rim, foot, etc.-- and then going over it with a Danish oil or
something. After this, you rub everything off and the waxed areas will
be unstained. You could do this a couple of times with slightly
different colors of stain. I'm not sure, but I don't believe Danish oil
is a food safe surface. Just a few suggestions. As I said, I'm not sure
of the look you're going for.

Best wishes,
Cindy in SD

Charles Jones on wed 2 feb 05

worn wooden bowl?

At 03:31 PM 2/1/2005, you wrote:
>Any suggestions out there for how to make nice wooden bowl or platter look
>ancient and worn?

My first reaction was "Give it to my pre-schoolers for about two days ..."

It depends on how the wooden bowl is finished. Sand the factory surface
with a rather coarse grit sandpaper. Maybe 100 or even 80 grit. A
polyurethane or vinyl finish (which it likely is if you see a glossy
luster) is going to be a lot of work, an oil finish will be easier. A
really good imitation of long wear can be achieved with a sandblaster, if
you're very careful. Wood is pretty soft and too much too fast will not be
pretty. You can try a number of different natural stains like strong tea
or coffee to deepen the color of the wood inside the bowl, but be careful
not to let the liquid stand in the bowl too long, lest it soak up too much,
swell and crack. On the other hand a few strategic cracks might well lend
themselves to the ambiance!

wjskw@BELLSOUTH.NET on wed 2 feb 05

worn wo oden bowl?

Derek and all:
If all you are trying for is to raise the grain of the wood, there's
no need to resort to acids or other caustics. A simple bench
grinder with a wire wheel mounted on it would do as well. Run the
wrie wheel in the direction of the grain only, otherwise you will
cause scratching to occur.
Best,
Wayne Seidl

-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG] On Behalf Of
Tarrant, Derek
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 9:01 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: how can I make a new wooden bowl look like an old ,
worn wo oden bowl?

"Any suggestions out there for how to make nice wooden bowl or
platter look
ancient and worn?"

Dear Gail,

Try: -
1. Sandblasting
2. Soak for a few days in caustic soda (lye) or boil it for
faster
results. This is likely to dissolve the adhesive on anything that
was glued
together though.

Either method attacks the softer summer growth wood and accentuates
the
ridges of harder winter growth. Sandblasting allows for more
control but
caustic may add some black staining depending on the wood. Practice
with
some scraps of similar wood first.

You may look at the archives for the list or change your
subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/

Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.

Kathy Forer on thu 3 feb 05

worn wooden bowl?

You could also try burying it. Apparently not all the "African Art"
sold just after the turn of the century came from that continent. A lot
of it originated in various studios in Paris. The artisans at the time
were able to make a living with their statues, as long as they stayed
ahead of the law. Burying it on the banks of the Seine was one way to
age the wood.

You could also pee on it or cover it with blood and guts before you
bury it. Have you ever smelled original African sculpture? Mmmm!
Redolent of all sorts of processes. Evocative. Medieval European wood
and polychrome statues also smell good. You might not want to eat off
either though, unless you like that kind of thing.

Kathy Forer
www.kforer.com

Janet Kaiser on thu 3 feb 05

worn wooden bowl?

Take it down to a building site and ask them if
you can put it into the cement mixer each time
they make a batch. Couple of days should see you
done... Otherwise you just need sandpaper, steel
wool and some elbow grease. Remove the varnish or
sealer and roughen up to desired feel/effect.
Leave it outdoors in direct sun for a few weeks
to give it that bleached look. That takes time,
so in the meantime, use a basket for your fruit.

Sincerely

Janet Kaiser
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>Any suggestions out there for how to make nice
wooden bowl or platter
>look ancient and worn? I have some small
pit-fired veggies I want to
>display on an old wooden bowl or platter yet I
don't want to spend the
>money on an antique. Resale businesses have
very few to offer thus far.
*** PREVIOUS MAIL ENDS HERE ***
**************************************************
**********
THE CHAPEL OF ART - or - CAPEL CELFYDDYD
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales LL52 0EA
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523122
http://www.the-coa.org.uk
Contact: Janet Kaiser: The International Potters
Path

pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on thu 3 feb 05

worn wooden bowl?

Hi Kathy, and whoever originally asked this...too!

Yahhhh...

Burying ih semi-aged Horse dung...burying in ashes and Horse
or Cow dung...burying in various sorts of Soils with or
without ashes or dung...letting it sit in Sea water for long
periods...letting it sit near a Fire's hearth and heats or
almost scortches...all in turns, or taking turns...

Most cheap modern bowls are of a soft Pacific Rim Wood of
some kind usually...and, whatever 'finish' if any is on it,
should be removed, for which a Paint stripper may be
best...followed by light sanding or better yet,
scrapeing...after scrapeing, then lots of 'buffing' one way
or another...and...polishing...

Drying Oils, Fats, Animal or vegetable fats or greases with
some Japan Drier added to they may oxidize less
liesurely...whatever as to saturate the Wood before ageing,
and have it more or less 'dry'...or in mid stride of ageing
processes...and...fill all the pores completely...

More polishing with burlap or carpet scraps or terrycloth or
something...

Work...in other words, more or less...to obtain the
result...

Done right, it will 'glow'...

Phil
el ve

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Forer"

> You could also try burying it. Apparently not all the
"African Art"
> sold just after the turn of the century came from that
continent. A lot
> of it originated in various studios in Paris. The artisans
at the time
> were able to make a living with their statues, as long as
they stayed
> ahead of the law. Burying it on the banks of the Seine was
one way to
> age the wood.
>
> You could also pee on it or cover it with blood and guts
before you
> bury it. Have you ever smelled original African sculpture?
Mmmm!
> Redolent of all sorts of processes. Evocative. Medieval
European wood
> and polychrome statues also smell good. You might not want
to eat off
> either though, unless you like that kind of thing.
>
> Kathy Forer
> www.kforer.com